Spurs settle in at training camp

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich arrived at the Air Force Academy on Tuesday morning, poised to push his team through a training camp on his old stomping grounds, and the memories of his days as an undergrad came flooding back.

“I still have dreams of being late to class,” joked Popovich, Air Force class of 1970.

Having camped at home in San Antonio for the past six years, players welcomed a change of venue for this year’s opening practices. Long-time Spurs were eager to get a glimpse of the place that had been the backdrop for many of their coach’s stories over the years.

Manu Ginobili was taken aback at the sheer size of the complex.

“I’m shocked at the infrastructure,” Ginobili said. “It’s massive. I didn’t expect it to be that big. Indoor track and field, hockey, two basketball courts that are better than probably any arena in Argentina. I didn’t expect this huge complex.”

Other players noticed the altitude.

“My chest is burning, just like when we play Denver,” Tony Parker said after the first workout of a two-a-day session. “The first 15, 20 minutes you feel it. After that, it’s OK.”

The Spurs will hold at least three more workouts on the Air Force Academy campus before returning to San Antonio on Friday evening. For Popovich, that means at least three more days to revel in nostalgia.

He didn’t have any military background when he enrolled at the Academy as a 17-year-old in 1966.

“We all knew it was a fine academic institution,” Popovich said. “That’s what first struck. I wanted to take a chance at playing Division-I basketball. There were no Division-I teams that knew my name. I thought I’d come here and try out. Luckily, I got in.

“And on the catalogue, on the cover, it had a guy skiing. That looked pretty good.”

It wasn’t until after he enrolled that Popovich realized most of ski season conflicted with basketball season.